Throwback Thursday: Pro Football's Half-Decade Team 1915-19

Many fans and media consider the start of the NFL's history as the day that the Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs in what's now known as Super Bowl I. There were 46 seasons of organized professional football that came before the season that ended that day. The NFL doesn't do much to change that perception. It feels like the Hall of Fame voters are now focusing solely on the Super Bowl years. The delayed inductions of Fritz Pollard and Benny Friedman and the ignoring of players like Duke Slater and Lavvie Dilweg suggest that the Hall of Fame doors might be closed on the league's early decades, the 1920s in particular. The NFL is older than the Super Bowl and professional football is older than the NFL. If the 1920s might be forgotten, the years before might as well not have happened at all. Those years only matter to the very serious football historians. Well, I'm going to shine a little light on the five years before the formation of the American Professional Football Association/National Football League in 1920. In the recent issue of the Professional Football Researchers Association's Coffin Corner, historian John Wilke did a terrific job of putting together a Pro Football Half-Decade Team for the years 1915-19. Here is that team.

Ends
Alfred "Greasy" Neale
Canton Bulldogs, 1915, 17
Dayton Triangles, 1918

Bib "Nasty" Nash
Massillon Tigers, 1916-17, 19

Tackles
Howard "Cap" Edwards
Canton Bulldogs, 1915-17, 19
Fort Wayne Friars, 1915-16

Frank Nesser
Columbus Panhandles, 1915-19
Massilon Tigers, 1917
Akron Pros, 1917
Detroit Heralds, 1917

Guards
Clarence "Doc" Spears
Canton Bulldogs, 1916-17, 19

Al Nesser
Columbus Panhandles, 1915-17
Massillon Tigers, 1915
Akron Pros/Indians, 1917, 19

Center
Ralph "Fats" Waldsmith
Canton Bulldogs, 1915-17
Akron Indians, 1919

Quarterback
Milton Ghee
Canton Bulldogs, 1916-17
Hammond All-Pros, 1919

Halfbacks
Jim Thorpe
Canton Bulldogs, 1915-17, 19
Pine Village A.C., 1915

Norb Sacksteder
Dayton Gym-Cadets/Triangles, 1915-16, 18
Massillon Tigers, 1915
Detroit Heralds, 1916-17, 19

Fullback
Pete Calac
Canton Bulldogs, 1916-17, 19
Detroit Braves, 1916

***

Jim Thorpe and "Greasy" Neale are honored in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The rest of the team is forgotten. Not really. But close. A few of us will remember them. Every football fan should know about the Nesser family. Manning? Matthews? The real first family of Professional Football is the Nesser family. Six brothers, a son, a nephew, and a brother-in-law played for the Massillon Tigers.

The pre-1920 player movement in professional football was one of the biggest reasons for the formation of the APFA/NFL. The player movement then makes the player movement now look mild.

This All-Decade team reflects the on-field success of the Canton Bulldogs. Seven of the 11 players played for the team, including the Half-Decade's dominant player. Jim Thorpe.

Heisman Hopefuls

Here's some college football stuff while NFL teams wrap up OTAs and get ready for Mandatory Mini Camps.

This is plucked from NFL.com's Chase Goodbread's fun series 18 for '18. It and so much more can be found on the College Football 24/7 section of the NFL's website.

Goodbread's 18 for '18: Top Heisman Trophy Candidates for 2018.

18. Cam Akers, RB, Florida State
17. Nick Fitzgerald, QB, Mississippi State
16. Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
15. Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State
14. Khalil Tate, QB, Arizona
13. Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
12. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
11. Justin Hebert, QB, Oregon
10. Drew Lock, QB, Missouri
  9. Trace McSorley, QB, Penn State
  8. Jarrett Sidham, QB, Auburn
  7. J.K. Dobbs, RB, Ohio State
  6. Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia
  5. Kelly Bryant, QB, Clemson
  4. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin
  3. Shea Patterson, QB, Michigan
  2. Bryce Love, RB, Stanford
  1. Will Grier, QB, West Virginia

I'll be the first to say that Goodbread forget a player. Cal receiver Demetris Robertson.

It's way to early to be casting votes but if I had a vote, and I should, mine would go to Ed Oliver. It would be great to see a defensive player, especially one that does his work in the trenches, finally take home the Heisman. Charles Woodson won it but he did so as much for his performance on special teams and offense as for what he did on defense. It's always been wrong to anoint the winner of the Heisman the best player when it really goes to the best offensive player. Oliver is an absolute beast. He's already declared for the 2018 NFL Draft. Hopefully that doesn't allow some complacency to creep into his play.

As a Cal fan I had a horrifying introduction to Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate. I sure hope that Justin Wilcox and Tim DeRuyter have figured out a way to get their players to keep Tate in check.

It's no surprise that 2/3 of the 18 are quarterbacks. 17/18 are quarterbacks or running backs.

Go Oliver!

NFL's Top 100 Players of 2018: 50-41

The countdown of the NFL's Top 100 Player of 2018 continued on NFL Network last night with the players ranked 50-41.

50. DeShaun Watson, QB, Houston Texans
49. Darius Slay, CB, Detroit Lions
48. Cameron Heyward, DE, Pittsburgh Steelers
47. Ryan Shazier, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
46. Harrison Smith, S, Minnesota Vikings
45. Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers
44. David DeCastro, G, Pittsburgh Steelers
43. Mark Ingram, RB, New Orleans Saints
42. Earl Thomas, S, Seattle Seahawks
41. Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

This week's Top 100 had a strong Pittsburgh Steelers feel to it.

Half of this block of ten made the list for the first time.

DeShaun Watson
Darius Slay
Ryan Shazier
Mark Ingram
Keenan Allen

Apparently Watson made quite an impression on his peers in seven games and six starts. He was brilliant in that short time but it was still a bit of a surprise that he landed in the top half of the Top 100 Players of 2018.

Slay has been one of the best corners and one of the Top 100 players for a while. It's great to finally see him "officially" recognized as such.

Allen would've made the list two years ago if injuries hadn't kept him on the sidelines.

I hope that Ryan Shazier can fight his way back on to the football field.

Harrison Smith brought the Minnesota Vikings representation in the Top 100 to five:
Kirk Cousins
Linval Joseph
Strefon Diggs
Xavier Rhodes
Harrison Smith

Smith at #46 was a jump for last year's #74 but it still felt low. As fellow Vikings safety Jayron Kearse said:
"Where's the 45 better than this guy."

Defensive end Everson Griffen will join those five soon. Receiver Adam Thielen should be among the Top 100. If he does show it's higher than I expected.

It's funny to see the Packers players come in for the commentary in pairs. Running backs Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams have been a team as have safeties Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Morgan Burnett. It looks like this was the last thing Burnett and Clinton-Dix did as a team. Burnett is with the Steelers now.

Packers defensive end Mike Daniels is still a solo act. He should be. His commentary is great and often hilarious.

Next week: 40-31!

Flea Flicker Breakout Players For 2018-AFC

It's the AFC's turn. Here's a player from each team that I believe could break out this year.

Cleveland Browns
Christian Kirksey, LB
In my opinion, Kirksey has already broken out but he doesn't get much attention. Perhaps it's because he plays in Cleveland.

Baltimore Ravens
Hayden Hurst, TE
I'm not sure what to think of this year's Ravens. I feel like they could range anywhere from terrible to a Super Bowl contender. Hurst is talented enough to succeed as a rookie and on an offense in desperate for a playmaker.

Cincinnati Bengals
Tyler Boyd, WR
For some reason I keep thinking of Boyd like I did of Reggie Wayne when he was just getting started with the Indianapolis Colts. Both went to teams that were in great need of a receiver to step up opposite an established star. Wayne opposite Marvin Harrison and Boyd opposite A.J. Green. I thought that both would step up immediately. It took a little while for Wayne. Boyd's entering his third season with the Bengals. I've been a fan of Boyd since his University of Pittsburgh days. He has the talent to be a very productive player, if not a star.

Pittsburgh Steelers
JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR
One could judge Smith-Schuster's rookie season as a breakout season. He had some dynamite moments last year. I think that he's just scratching at the surface of what he might do in the Steelers offense. How could a player named JuJu Smith-Schuster not be a star?

New England Patriots
Cordarrelle Patterson, WR/KR
I don't think Patterson's time in New England will be a long one but his first season could be explosive. His tremendous lack of football fundamentals is bound to drive Bill Belichick out of his mind. There are few players in the league as dynamic with the ball in his hands and Josh McDaniels will find a way to get the ball in his hands. Even if Patterson sees limited time on offense he'll make an immediate impact with kick returns.

New York Jets
Teddy Bridgewater, QB
This is a purely sentimental choice. I hated to see Bridgewater's time in Minnesota end. That horrific knee injury in 2016 has left a potentially brilliant football career a question mark. If he can get on the field and stay on the field he could keep Sam Darnold on the bench for a while.

Miami Dolphins
Kenyan Drake, RB
The Dolphins opened the door for Drake when they traded Jay Ajayi during the season. He took advantage and had some shining moments. The Dolphins then cluttered their backfield in the offseaon by signing Frank Gore and drafting Kalen Ballage. I think that Drake keeps his spot as the top ballcarrier.

Buffalo Bills
Harrison Phillips, DT
I probably would've gone with receiver Zay Jones until he lost his mind this offseason. Instead I'll go with the player that felt tailor-made for Buffalo and the Bills. Phillips is a disruptive, all-effort grinder and looks like he could be Kyle Williams' brother.

Jacksonville Jaguars
Donte Moncrief, WR
The Jaguars had one of the most intriguing, young receiving combos in the league with Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns. This offseason, Robinson left for Chicago and Hurns left for Dallas. In a perfect Jacksonville world the Jaguars will win games with Leonard Fournette running the ball and a terrific defense. To get past the AFC title game the Jaguars need more from their passing offense. Moncrief was brought in to provide that.

Indianapolis Colts
Andrew Luck, QB
Wouldn't it be great to see Luck back on the field with a healed-up arm?

Tennessee Titans
Corey Davis, WR
Davis was the fifth pick in the 2017 NFL Draft because he's a difference-making talent. The Titans need him to break out. Marcus Mariota really needs him to break out. Davis' rookie season was slowed, stunted, stalled by nagging injuries. When he was on the field it felt like he tilted it. He has to stay healthy and gain better route discipline. If he can do that he has the talent to break out big.

Houston Texans
Braxton Miller, WR
Miller feels like one of those football players that is at his best when the game is opened up like it is when it's played out on the schoolyard. Just get the ball in his hands. I'm not sure if he's a receiver or a running back even though he often looks like he can be both. I'd dust off the plays that Darrell Bevell and Bill Musgrave ran with Percy Harvin and turn Miller loose.

Oakland Raiders
Karl Joseph, S
Joseph was one of my favorite players in the 2016 NFL Draft. I hoped that he would be on the board when the Vikings picked. The Raiders ended that dream nine picks too soon. It'll be interesting to see how Jon Gruden's George Allen-like overhaul of the Raiders looks on the field. I like Joseph in new defensive coordinator Paul Guenther's defense. Actually, I like Joseph in any defense. He can make plays in the box and at the back end.

Denver Broncos
Garrett Bolles, OT
I don't have enough offensive linemen as breakout players. Bolles is the only one. I did consider picking Quenton Nelson for the Colts. New Broncos quarterback Case Keenum has the ability to make something positive happen when blocking breaks down. That takes some of the pressure off of Bolles to be perfect on every snap. He has the talent to make giant strides in his second season. If so, Keenum won't have to rely on his quick feet to make something happen. He'll be able to stay in the pocket with his blindside safe.

Los Angeles Chargers
Denzell Perryman, LB
I had tight Hunter Henry as the Chargers breakout player until he was unfortunately lost to an ACL injury. I thought about replacing him with rookie running back Justin Jackson or one the talented second-year guards Forrest Lamp or Dan Feeney. I'm going with third-year linebacker Denzel Perryman. The Chargers have put together a very talented defense. Perryman doesn't get the attention of the pass rushers or the secondary. I guess that's why I consider him a potential breakout player. He's been a consistent, productive player since his rookie season. Despite being undersized at 5'11" and 236 lbs he hits like a tank and is an emotional leader.

Kansas City Chiefs
Reggie Ragland, LB
The Chiefs hope that Patrick Mahomes is their breakout star. I'm going with a player that I thought would eventually be a breakout player for the Buffalo Bills when they selected him in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft. First-year head coach Sean McDermott didn't see Ragland as a fit for his defense so he traded him to the Chiefs last August. With Derrick Johnson in Gruden's Old Folks Home the Chiefs need a new leader in the middle of their defense. The door is open for Ragland.

Flea Flicker Breakout Players For 2018-NFC

Every year football fans are treated to a new batch of NFL stars, or near stars. The following is a player from each team that I think could be a breakout star this year. The NFC teams are up first.  May is the perfect time for NFL exercises like this. June too.

Minnesota Vikings
Dalvin Cook, RB
Cook kinda broke out last year as a rookie but a knee injury ended the season at 3.5 games. He can do it all. Run, catch, his pass blocking could be more consistent but he's a three-down back and three-down threat. Kirk Cousins enters the Vikings offense this year but Cook will likely be the engine of it. He has to play 16 games hopefully at least three playoff games.

Green Bay Packers
Blake Martinez, LB
Martinez was a consistent nuisance at Stanford and he's looking like a consistent nuisance with the Packers. It feels like he's been in the league for five years but this will only be his third season. He may never be a "star" but he'll always be around the ball, making plays. As a Cal and Vikings fan I've already seen more than enough of him.

Chicago Bears
Roquan Smith, LB
While Martinez may never be a "star" Smith might be a "star" and team pace-setter the moment he steps on the field for his first NFL game. It might be more of a surprise if Smith doesn't breakout as a rookie.

Detroit Lions
Jarrad Davis, LB
A third breakout linebacker in the NFC North? I was curious about Davis coming out of Florida last year. His rookie season might've been a little up and down but he had far more ups. He should be the leader of the Lions defense for at least a decade.

New York Giants
Evan Engram, TE
The Giants have so many explosive weapons on offense. Odell Beckham Jr. and Saquon Barkley will get so much attention that Evan Engram and Sterling Shepard could get a little lost. I don't think that I've ever seen one team field physical freaks the likes of Beckham, Barkley, and Engram.

Washington Redskins
Jonathan Allen, DE
It felt like Allen was on the verge of breaking out last as a rookie until his season was cut short by a foot injury. He's a terrific, disruptive player that can line up anywhere on the defensive front.

Philadelphia Eagles
Dallas Goedert, TE
It felt like every player on the Eagles that could break out last year broke out in their run to the title. So, I had to go with a rookie. The Eagles lost tight ends Brent Celek and Trey Burton this offseason. For a team that uses the position as the Eagles do they needed another to pair with standout Zach Ertz. It has been a golden few months in Philadelphia to be able to trade out of the first round and still land a player as skilled as Goedert. Perfect team, perfect player, perfect timing. How could he not break out?

Dallas Cowboys
Jourdan Lewis, CB
The Cowboys will probably be fielding a ridiculously inexperienced secondary. Second-year players Jourdan Lewis, Chidobe Awuzie, and Xavier Woods are all penciled in as starters. Any one of the three could break out. I'm going with Lewis simply because I think that he's most talented of the bunch.

New Orleans Saints
Marcus Williams, S
Williams was the target of way too much criticism for his passive attempt to tackle Stefon Diggs on that thrilling final play of the Saints season. New Orleans wouldn't even have been in a position to win the game if not for his interception that triggered his team's comeback. He's a terrific safety and cornerstone player for the Saints.

Carolina Panthers
Curtis Samuel, WR
I thought that Samuel would be a bigger part of the Panthers offense as a rookie last year. He can do so many things and score from anywhere on the field. If the offensive coaches can harness all of his talents they have an explosive, versatile football player.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Vita Vea, DT
Talking heads around the league are raving about defensive tackle combos like Aaron Donald-Ndamukong Suh of the Rams, Fletcher Cox-Timmy Jernigan/Haloti Ngata of the Eagles, Linval Joseph-Sheldon Richardson of the Vikings. I'm most curious to see (after Joseph-Richardson, of course) Vea paired with Gerald McCoy. Vea was one of the my favorites in college football last year and in the draft. A human that size isn't supposed to move like he does.

Atlanta Falcons
De'Vondre Campbell, LB
I really like the speedy defense that the Falcons are putting together. It was a toss up between Campbell and defensive end Takkarist McKinley. The latter will get the sacks so he'll get the attention but I'll go with Campbell simply because he'll be on the field more.

San Francisco 49ers
Jerick McKinnon, RB
While I hated to see McKinnon leave Minnesota I'm thrilled to see him get his much-deserved shot to be the top back for a team. I'm especially thrilled to see him get that shot in Kyle Shanahan's offense. McKinnon can do a little bit of everything and Shanahan and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will take advantage of that.

Los Angeles Rams
Gerald Everett, TE
The Rams have a plethora of offensive weapons. Everett seems to get lost among that collection. Head coach/playcaller Sean McVay and quarterback Jared Goff have to find a way to take advantage of Everett's silly physical talents.

Seattle Seahawks
Rashaad Penny, RB
If Penny can survive that injury plague that has hit Seattle runners in recent years he should be able to shine. I don't think he was ever tackled when his San Diego Aztecs played Cal in 2016.

Arizona Cardinals
Sam Bradford, QB
I really should go with one of the Cardinals talented second-year defenders, Budda Baker or Haason Reddick, but I'm going with the quarterback that everyone considers a placeholder for Josh Rosen. Bradford is one of the most gifted throwers in the NFL. His throw up the seam to Jarius Wright in last season's opener against the Saints was ridiculous. Very few quarterbacks could throw it let alone even consider it. He simply hasn't been able to stay healthy. If Bradford can stay healthy Rosen might have the first wait of his quarterbacking life.

Some Of My Favorite Things

The NFL's decision-makers have an unfortunate talent of dredging up the shitty side of football. Their unquenchable thirst for money will do that. It's times like these that I try to think of the things about football that hooked from the first introduction.

Stefon Diggs' miracle

Joe Thomas on a football field. I'm going to miss him.

Aaron Rodgers throwing a football.

Von Miller rounding the edge.

Le'Veon Bell's hesitation.

Adam Thielen running routes.

Andrew Luck on the field.

Drew Brees playing football.

Antonio Brown.

Aaron Donald at the snap.

Aaron Donald after the snap.

Luke Kuechly.

Philip Rivers' mechanics.

Keenan Allen catching passes.

Khalil Mack rushing the passer.

Joey Bosa rushing the passer.

AFC West quarterbacks, really all quarterbacks, running from Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, Von Miller, and Justin Houston.

Adam Thielen catching passes.

Harrison Smith.

Telvin Smith racing sideline to sideline and goal line to goal line.

Cordarrelle Patterson returning kicks.

David Johnson on the field.

Larry Fitzgerald doing Larry Fitzgerald things.

Julio Jones.

Linval Joseph in the trenches.

Mike Zimmer coaching.

Canton, Ohio.

Football on Sundays.

Dalvin Cook on the field.

Tom Brady with his team.

Peter King's MMQB column.

Those are a just a few of my favorite things.

Anthem Sham

I try to avoid the political and bureaucratic bullshit that lives outside the game. I don't deny that it exists. I just try to avoid dealing with it here. Football is fun. The other stuff isn't. Falling into the category of making a shitty situation even more shitty, commissioner Roger Goodell and the 32 NFL owners released a 6-Point National Anthem Policy.

In all of my years I never would've thought that the few minutes devoted to the National Anthem before a sporting event would be such a divisive topic. That's because in all of my years it never appeared to me that very many people even cared that the National Anthem was being played. Most in attendance were doing everything but respecting the flag and song. In 40-plus years of attending sporting events I only saw the patriotism that the NFL owners are now demanding of the players was during the games following 9/11. Standing for and respecting the National Anthem after that horrific event started to wane by November and it was back to the usual "disrespect" the next season.

The league's decision-makers don't like that NFL players have been protesting social inequality and injustices in this country during the playing of the National Anthem. The unfortunate thing about that dislike for the player's action is that it's simply because Goodell and his rich friends are worried that the protests might cost them a slight fraction of their billions. They aren't concerned about the player's concerns. They are concerned about their money. They are also worried about an unhinged individual in the White House barking to his masses. The league felt that they had to do something even though there was growing evidence that they didn't have to do a thing. Rumblings from the players leading the protests were that they felt that their actions over the last two seasons had the desired impact and that they could move on from the protests to greater, coordinated action in the communities. Their days of Anthem protesting were probably done. Instead of doing something positive by not doing anything at all the league decided to put the players in their subservient place. Again. This idiotic 6-Point Plan told the players how to be patriotic. That's not patriotism. Goodell said that the plan was a compromise. A compromise with whom? Not with the players. The NFL Players Association wasn't consulted or contacted. It was a unilateral decision that forces the players to be patriotic in a manner that the owners deem patriotic. Again, that's not patriotism. Goodell also said that it was a move to get the attention back on football. It did the opposite. He might have triggered a new round of protests.

Here's the NFL's 6-Point Plan

1. All team and league personnel on the field shall stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem.

2.The Game Operations Manual will be revised to remove the requirement that all players be on the field for the Anthem.

3. Personnel who choose not to stand for the Anthem may stay in the locker room or in a similar location off the field until after the Anthem has been performed.

4. A club will be fined by the League if its personnel are on the field and do not stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem.

5. Each club may develop its own work rules, consistent with the above principles, regarding its personnel who do not stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem.

6. The Commissioner will impose appropriate discipline on league personnel who do not stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem.

#6 is the kicker. The top talking-point upon release of this plan was that punishment of the players for being "unpatriotic" would be up to the individual teams. #6 contradicts that. It sure looks like Goodell will once again be the ultimate judge, jury, and executioner. Nothing has changed. Actually, a lot has changed. Instead of players being able to protest, as the Constitution allows, without threat of fine, punishment, and league banishment (Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid might have something to say about that last one) Goodell can wield has random brand of punishment.

It's looking more and more like the next CBA negotiations will be a complete nightmare. Before those fun days hit Goodell and his rich friends might have inadvertently helped the collusion suits of Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid.

Throwback Thursday: Rick Gosselin's All-Time Special Teams Unit

Rick Gosselin is a sports columnist for the Dallas Morning News. He's a Pro Football Hall of Fame voter and has long paid special attention to the NFL's special teams play. He's the right person to pick an All-Time Special Teams unit and here it is.

First Team

Placement Kicker 
Adam Vinatieri, Patriots/Colts

Holder
Nolan Cromwell, Rams

Kickoffs
Morten Andersen, Saints/Falcons/Giants/Chiefs/Vikings

Punter
Ray Guy, Raiders

Personal Protector
John Lynch, Buccaneers/Broncos

Long Snapper
Steve DeOssie, Cowboys/Giants/Jets/Patriots

Coverage
Steve Tasker, Bills
Matthew Slater, Patriots              
Michael Bates, Seahawks/Panthers/Browns/Redskins/Jets/Cowboys
Elbert Shelley, Falcons
Eon Wolfley, Cardinals/Browns/Rams
Larry Izzo, Dolphins/Patriots/Jets
Bennie Thompson, Saints/Chiefs/Browns/Ravens
Reyna Thompson, Dolphins/Giants/Patriots
Bill Bates, Cowboys
Hank Bauer, Chargers

Kickoff Returner
Gale Sayers, Bears

Punt Returner
Devin Hester, Bears, Falcons, Ravens, Seahawks

Interior Kick Blocker
Ted Hendricks, Colts/Packers/Raiders
Matt Blair, Vikings

Edge Kick Blocker
Albert Lewis, Chiefs/Raiders
Eddie Meador, Rams

Second Team

Placement Kicker 
Jan Stenerud, Chiefs/Packers/Vikings

Holder
Brad Maynard, Giants/Bears/Browns

Kickoffs
Lee Johnson, Oilers/Browns//Bengals/Patriots/Vikings/Eagles

Punter
Shane Lechler, Raiders/Texans

Personal Protector
Brian Mitchell, Redskins/Eagles/Giants

Long Snapper
Patrick Mannelly, Bears

Coverage
Justin Bethel, Cardinals
Kassim Osgood, Chargers/Jaguars/Lions/49ers  
Brendon Ayanbadejo, Dolphins/Bears/Ravens
Larry Whigham, Patriots/Bears
Montell Owens, Jaguars/Lions/Bears
Rufus Porter, Seahawks/Saints/Buccaneers
Mosi Tatupu, Patriots/Rams
Fredd Young, Seahawks/Colts
Sean Morey, Patriots/Eagles/Steelers/Cardinals
Fred McAfee, Saints/Cardinals/Steelers/Buccaneers

Kickoff Returner
Josh Cribbs, Browns/Jets/Colts

Punt Returner
Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, Oilers/Falcons/Reskins

Interior Kick Blocker
Alan Page, Vikings/Bears
Shaun Rodgers, Lions/Browns/Saints/Giants

Edge Kick Blocker
Ed Reed, Ravens/Texans/Jets
Jack Youngblood, Rams

Another Peek At The First Round Signings

Perhaps OTAs have distracted teams from completing bureaucratic nonsense like signing draft picks. The signings have slowed recently. It's still May. There's still more than two months until training camps open. Here are the 12 first round picks that are signed and the 20 that aren't.

1.   Cleveland Browns-Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
2.   New York Giants-Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
3.   New York Jets-Sam Darnold, QB, USC
4.   Cleveland Browns-Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State
5.   Denver Broncos-Bradley Chubb, DE, North Carolina State
6.   Indianapolis Colts-Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame-Signed
7.   Buffalo Bills-Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
8.   Chicago Bears-Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia
9.   San Francisco 49ers-Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
10. Arizona Cardinals-Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA-Signed
11. Miami Dolphins-Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Vita Vea, DT, Washington
13. Washington Redskins-Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama-Signed
14. New Orleans Saints-Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA-Signed
15. Oakland Raiders-Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA-Signed
16. Buffalo Bills-Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech-Signed
17. Los Angeles Chargers-Derwin James, S, Florida State
18. Green Bay Packers-Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville-Signed
19. Dallas Cowboys-Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State-Signed
20. Detroit Lions-Frank Ragnow, C/G, Arkansas-Signed
21. Cincinnati Bengals-Billy Price, G, Ohio State-Signed
22. Tennessee Titans-Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama-Signed
23. New England Patriots-Isaiah Wynn, G/T, Georgia
24. Carolina Panthers-DJ Moore, WR, Maryland
25. Baltimore Ravens-Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina
26. Atlanta Falcons-Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
27. Seattle Seahawks-Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State-Signed
28. Pittsburgh Steelers-Terrell Edmonds, S, Virginia Tech
29. Jacksonville Jaguars-Taven Bryan, DT, Florida
30. Minnesota Vikings-Mike Hughes, CB, Central Florida
31. New England Patriots-Sony Michel, RB, Georgia
32. Baltimore Ravens-Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville

***

It's interesting that most of the first round signings so far are with players selected in the middle of the round. The pattern makes Derwin James the exception. The Chargers are probably still stunned that he was available at #17. I am.

The Vikings signed seven of their eight picks before the draft was a week old. Over two weeks later, first round cornerback Mike Hughes remains unsigned. I expected that to change before he took the field for football work with the veterans. That day passed yesterday. 

NFL's Top 100 Players of 2018: 60-51

The countdown of the NFL's Top 100 Player of 2018 continued on NFL Network last night with the players ranked 60-51.

60. Derek Carr, QB, Oakland Raiders
59. Casey Hayward, CB, Los Angeles Chargers
58. Leonard Fournette, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
57. Trent Williams, OT, Washington Redskins
56. Philip Rivers, QB, Los Angeles Chargers
55. Xavier Rhodes, CB, Minnesota Vikings
54. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys
53. Aqib Talib, CB, Los Angeles Rams
52. Jarvis Landry, WR, Cleveland Browns
51. Case Keenum, QB, Denver Broncos

It's an interesting group. It includes a rookie, a couple players that have been Top 100 constants since it's beginning, and a former journeyman quarterback that triggered a special season for his team that's now his former team.

Leonard Fournette joins Marshon Lattimore as rookies that have made an early impression on their peers.

Trent Williams makes the Top 100 list for the sixth consecutive season. Philip Rivers has made the list seven of it's eight years. His only miss was in 2013.

Case Keenum had been mostly a backup in his five-year career. Then he led the Vikings to a blast of a 13-3 season and an appearance in the NFC Championship. As head coach Mike Zimmer famously said in describing his quarterback "He's got big balls." Unfortunately the magic ended in that conference championship game but it doesn't take away from the fun that he helped create in Minnesota. That fun earned him a surprising spot in the middle of the NFL's Top 100 Players. His great 2017 season didn't get him a new contract with the Vikings but it did get him a nice opportunity with the Broncos.

Keenum, Aqib Talib, and Jarvis Landry push to nine the number of players revealed so far that are now on a team that isn't the team that they played for last season.
97. Carlos Hyde
94. Kirk Cousins
89. Jimmy Graham
79. Marcus Peters
64. Richard Sherman
61. Ndamukong Suh
53. Aqib Talib
52. Jarvis Landry
51. Case Keenum
The Rams collected three of the above. Peters, Suh, and Talib.

New to the Top 100:
Leonard Fournette
Case Keenum

Vikings through 50 players:
Kirk Cousins
Linval Joseph
Strefon Diggs
Xavier Rhodes
Safety Harrison Smith and defensive end Everson Griffen will join them. Adam Thielen should join them. I thought that linebacker Anthony Barr could make it this year but if he had he would've been revealed already.

Next week: 50-41!

Proposed Kickoff And Kick Return Rule

Kickoffs, and it's possible demise, have been a frequent NFL debate in recent years. With it's high-speed collisions the play has been a target in efforts to make a violent game a little more safe. Some of the most brutal collisions and devastating injuries occur when big, fast football players run nearly the length of the field and into each other on kick returns. To lessen those collisions and injuries the NFL owners will vote on a proposed new rule this week. These are the takeaways of that rule proposal. (as listed on Pro Football Talk)

1. The kicking team must line up within one yard of the line where the ball is kicked (typically the 35-yard line), and must have five players on each side of the kicker. That changes the rule that allowed players to line up five yards behind the spot where the ball is kicked to get a running start. Now the kicker will be able to get a running start, but everyone else will get one step at best.

2. At least eight of the 11 players on the receiving team must line up within 15 yards of their restraining line, which would typically mean between the kicking team’s 45-yard line and the receiving team’s 40-yard line.

3. At least two players on the kickoff team must be lined up outside the numbers, and two players between the numbers and the hashmark.

4. Until the ball is touched or hits the ground, players on the receiving team can’t cross the restraining line (typically the 45), or initiate a block within 15 yards of the line where the ball is kicked.

5. Wedge blocks will be eliminated. Past rule changes have limited wedge blocks to two players, but now even the two-man wedge will be banned.

6. The ball will be dead if it touches the ground in the end zone. In the past the returner could pick up the ball off the ground in the end zone and run it out, but now it would be a touchback immediately if it touches the ground in the end zone.

***

As a football traditionalist I hate to see any drastic changes to the game. As a football realist I know that the violent, ballistic nature of kick returns has to change. The above might be the best option that I've seen. I just don't want to see the kickoff eliminated.

NFLPA Rookie Premiere

The NFLPA is holding their 24th Annual Rookie Premiere this weekend. It's presented by Panini America so the trading card company gets exclusive access to the invited rookies. It also gives more than 30 NFLPA business partners an opportunity to engage with and make deals with these rookies. It's a tremendous business/endorsement opportunity for these new football players. Here's the roster of rookies that took part in the 24th Annual Rookie Premiere Presented by Panini Ammerica.

Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
Kalen Ballage, RB, Miami Dolphins
Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
D.J. Chark, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Bradley Chubb, DE, Denver Broncos
Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns
Keke Coutee, WR, Houston Texans
Sam Darnold, QB, New York Jets
Daurice Fountain, WR, Indianapolis Colts
Royce Freeman, RB, Denver Broncos
Micahel Gallup, WR, Dallas Cowboys
Mike Gesicki, TE, Miami Dolphins
Derrius Guice, RB, Washington Redskins
DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Denver Broncos
Hayden Hurst, TE, Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
Kerryon Johnson, RB, Detroit Lions
Ronald Jones, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Christian Kirk, WR, Arizona Cardinals
Kyle Lauletta, QB, New York Giants
Baker Mayfield, QB, Cleveland Browns
Sony Michel, RB, New England Patriots
Anthony Miller, WR, Chicago Bears
Nyheim Hines, RB, Indianapolis Colts
D.J. Moore, WR, Carolina Panthers
J'Mon Moore, WR, Green Bay Packers
Rashaad Penny, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Dante Pettis, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Calvin Ridley, WR, Atlanta Falcons
Josh Rosen, QB, Arizona Cardinals
Mason Rudolph, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Jaylen Samuels, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Jaleel Scott, WR, Baltimore Ravens
Tre'Quan Smith, WR, New Orleans Saints
Ito Smith, RB, Atlanta Falcons
Courtland Smith, WR, Denver Broncos
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, Green Bay Packers
Mark Walton, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
James Washington, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Mike White, QB, Dallas Cowboys

What do 39 of the 40 rookies invited to this exclusive event have in common? They are quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, or tight ends. Bradley Chubb is the only non-quarterback, running back, pass catcher privileged enough to be invited to the NFLPA Rookie Premiere. The NFLPA props up this event as something great for the rookies:

NFLPA Rookie Premiere is one of the most valuable opportunities, exclusively available to NFLPA partners, because it’s the first time for these partners to connect directly with professional football’s most promising and marketable young stars--all in one place—and build content and relationships that extend into the season and beyond.

The event is great for the rookies but only a few rookies. The rookies that might need it the most aren't invited. No offensive linemen, no defensive linemen (other than Chubb), no linebackers, no defensive backs. Kickers? Punters? Absolutely not!  Only "the most promising and marketable young stars" get this "meet and greet." Is a fifth-round quarterback really more promising than a franchise-changing, top-10 offensive lineman? An earth-moving defensive tackle? A supremely gifted corner? Quarterbacks can step outside their home and walk into an endorsement deal. Running backs and pass catchers just have to avoid a major crime. The NFLPA is supposed to be there for all of the players. Even the kickers and punters.

Draft Pick Signings

The 2018 NFL Draft isn't a month old and only 74 of the draft picks remain unsigned. The Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, and Detroit Lions have signed their entire draft class. 11 teams have signed all but one pick. The Los Angeles Rams and Miami Dolphins are the outliers as neither team has signed a single draft pick. The Rams are always lagging behind the rest in this regard. They've made it team policy to sign all of their draft picks as a group after putting them through some enrichment lessons before they enrich them. That sounds like an excellent idea despite the unsettling vision of cattle that it creates.

Prior to the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement it would've taken much less time and space to list the draft picks that had signed by the middle of May. Here are the 74 draft picks that have yet to sign their first NFL contract.

By draft order:

Round	Pick	Team	Player
1	1	Cleveland Browns	Baker Mayfield
1	2	New York Giants	Saquon Barkley
1	3	New York Jets	Sam Darnold
1	4	Cleveland Browns	Denzel Ward
1	5	Denver Broncos	Bradley Chubb
1	7	Buffalo Bills	Josh Allen
1	8	Chicago Bears	Roquan Smith
1	9	San Francisco 49ers	Mike McGlinchey
1	11	Miami Dolphins	Minkah Fitzpatrick
1	12	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Vita Vea
1	17	Los Angeles Chargers	Derwin James
1	21	Cincinnati Bengals	Billy Price
1	23	New England Patriots	Isaiah Wynn
1	24	Carolina Panthers	D.J. Moore
1	25	Baltimore Ravens	Hayden Hurst
1	26	Atlanta Falcons	Calvin Ridley
1	28	Pittsburgh Steelers	Terrell Edmunds
1	29	Jacksonville Jaguars	Taven Bryan
1	30	Minnesota Vikings	Mike Hughes
1	31	New England Patriots	Sony Michel
1	32	Baltimore Ravens	Lamar Jackson
2	35	Cleveland Browns	Nick Chubb
2	36	Indianapolis Colts	Darius Leonard
2	37	Indianapolis Colts	Braden Smith
2	38	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Ronald Jones II
2	41	Tennessee Titans	Harold Landry
2	42	Miami Dolphins	Mike Gesicki
2	44	San Francisco 49ers	Dante Pettis
2	46	Kansas City Chiefs	Breeland Speaks
2	47	Arizona Cardinals	Christian Kirk
2	61	Jacksonville Jaguars	D.J. Chark
2	63	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Carlton Davis
3	65	Oakland Raiders	Brandon Parker
3	67	Cleveland Browns	Chad Thomas
3	69	New York Giants	B.J. Hill
3	70	San Francisco 49ers	Fred Warner
3	71	Denver Broncos	Royce Freeman
3	73	Miami Dolphins	Jerome Baker
3	74	Washington Redskins	Geron Christian
3	75	Kansas City Chiefs	Derrick Nnadi
3	76	Pittsburgh Steelers	Mason Rudolph
3	77	Cincinnati Bengals	Sam Hubbard
3	78	Cincinnati Bengals	Malik Jefferson
3	79	Seattle Seahawks	Rasheem Green
3	80	Houston Texans	Martinas Rankin
3	81	Dallas Cowboys	Michael Gallup
3	87	Oakland Raiders	Arden Key
3	89	Los Angeles Rams	Joseph Noteboom
3	91	New Orleans Saints	Tre'Quan Smith
3	92	Pittsburgh Steelers	Chukwuma Okorafor
3	93	Jacksonville Jaguars	Ronnie Harrison
3	96	Buffalo Bills	Harrison Phillips
3	97	Arizona Cardinals	Mason Cole
3	99	Denver Broncos	Isaac Yiadom
3	100	Kansas City Chiefs	Dorian O'Daniel
4	105	Cleveland Browns	Antonio Callaway
4	107	New York Jets	Christopher Herndon
4	110	Oakland Raiders	Nick Nelson
4	111	Los Angeles Rams	Brian Allen
4	123	Miami Dolphins	Durham Smythe
4	131	Miami Dolphins	Kalen Ballage
4	135	Los Angeles Rams	John Franklin-Myer
5	139	New York Giants	R.J. McIntosh
5	147	Los Angeles Rams	Micah Kiser
5	160	Los Angeles Rams	Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
6	176	Los Angeles Rams	John Kelly
6	192	Los Angeles Rams	Jamil Demby
6	195	Los Angeles Rams	Sebastian Joseph
6	205	Los Angeles Rams	Trevon Young
6	209	Miami Dolphins	Cornell Armstrong
7	227	Miami Dolphins	Quentin Poling
7	229	Miami Dolphins	Jason Sanders
7	231	Los Angeles Rams	Travin Howard
7	244	Los Angeles Rams	Justin Lawler

***

The Minnesota Vikings stormed out of the pick signing gate when they had all but one of eight draft picks signed in the first week after the draft. The only unsigned pick is first round pick, cornerback Mike Hughes. Of course, many fans of the team are losing their minds thinking that something significant is holding up a deal. It's May. If I had to guess, I'd guess that Hughes signs in advance of the start of the Vikings' next OTAs, May 22. 

Hard Knock Browns

The Cleveland Browns were tapped to be the team of this year's Hard Knocks on HBO. Congratulations to the Browns. No team wants to do this annual show but due to the incredible popularity of it the NFL forces a team to do so. Each year the league hopes that a team volunteers but no team does. They are left with having to shove a team under the training camp microscope. The following exempts teams from that shove:

1) they have appeared on the show in the last ten years
2) they have a first-year head coach
3) they have reached the plays in either of the last two seasons

This year, that left six teams that could be forced into Hard Knocks. The Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, and Washington Redskins. The Browns got the shove.

The good thing for the teams forced to do Hard Knocks is that it's the great people of NFL Films that produces it. The bad thing is that no matter how non-invasive the NFL Films people are the teams have to deal with something other than football for the entirety of training camp. Coaches hate that.

No matter how much the teams hate doing Hard Knocks, the coaches in particular, it's entertaining. At times it's wildly entertaining. With NFL Films involved it's a fantastic production. Fans love it. The NFL obviously loves it because it's another avenue to expand the brand and, more importantly, it's a money-maker. And that's why the league forces a team to do it every year.

One drawback to the Browns being the team is that long-time Browns tackle Joe Thomas won't be involved. His humor would've been a highlight but he retired this offseason. Next stop of Thomas: Canton. The Browns still have coaches and players that I'd like to get to know better. Hue Jackson, Duke Johnson, David Njoku, Jarvis Landry, Kevin Zeitler, Joel Bitonio, Myles Garrett, Christian Kirksey, Joe Schobert, Jabrill Peppers, etc. Maybe we'll see a lit bit of rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield. Every season of Hard Knocks introduces us to delightful coaches and players. One coach that I hope has a very low profile this summer is Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. I've already seen more than I ever want to see of him.

Previous Hard Knocks Teams

2001  Baltimore Ravens
2002  Dallas Cowboys
2007  Kansas City Chiefs
2008  Dallas Cowboys
2009  Cincinnati Bengals
2010  New York Jets
2012  Miami Dolphins
2013  Cincinnati Bengals
2014  Atlanta Falcons
2015  Houston Texans
2016  Los Angeles Rams
2017  Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The show was cancelled in 2011 due to the offseason lockout and fun CBA negotiations.

Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer was on Hard Knocks three times.

2002  Dallas Cowboys
2009  Cincinnati Bengals
2013  Cincinnati Bengals

I truly believe that he'd lose his damn mind if he had to deal with this nuisance as a head coach. He just has to keep winning and getting his team in the playoffs to avoid the nightmare.

Throwback Thursday: Vikings That Got Away

I have no idea why this was on my mind but I was thinking about the football players that got away from the Minnesota Vikings. These are the players that the Vikings weren't able to re-sign, decided not to re-sign, traded away, couldn't sign in the first place, whatever. Some of these players went on to do in other places what they should've/could've been doing in Minnesota. Others were simply at the end and finished their careers in the hideous uniform of another team. Here's an all-time team of the Vikings players that somehow got away.

Quarterback
Fran Tarkemton

This is a weird one in that the Vikings traded their young franchise quarterback to the New York Giants in 1967 and then traded for him in 1972. The Vikings went to a Super Bowl while Tarkenton was away. Joe Kapp had a fine season in 1969 but he was nowhere near the quarterback that Tarkenton was those years. Or any year. Those five years were mostly great years for the Vikings. Imagine how much better those years might have been if Tarkenton didn't get away for those years.

Running backs
Chuck Foreman
Terry Allen

Foreman was one of several Vikings stars that ended their careers in places other than Minnesota. Injuries had robbed Foreman of much of his wonderful running ability but it was still tough to see him in a Patriots uniform. Allen had some nice years with the Vikings but it's no stretch to say that his best years were in Washington.

Receivers
Randy Moss
Sidney Rice

The Vikings traded Moss while still in the prime of his Hall of Fame career. Moss on the Raiders. Moss on the Patriots. Both were painful. Rice didn't have Moss' incredible natural gifts but he was a big, smooth. sure-handed receiver. He was supposed to help fill the giant void left by Moss. As soon as he started to make an impact he had a hip injury and suddenly was in Seattle.

Tight End
Joe Senser

Senser didn't get away in the same sense as the others on this team. Injuries stole him from the Vikings. Before that he looked like he was well on his way to becoming the best tight end in franchise history.

Tackles
Gary Zimmerman
Todd Steussie

Like Moss, the Vikings traded Zimmerman while he was in the middle of his Hall of Fame career. He played long enough and well enough in Denver that many people think of him as a Broncos player. Winning a Super Bowl there helps that. Steussie was part of the sad, mass, free agency exodus of Vikings players in 2000.

Guards
Ed White
Randall McDaniel

White paired nicely with Ron Yary for a long time. White went on to some solid years with the Chargers. It was painful to see McDaniel in a Buccaneers uniform. So very painful.

Center
Matt Birk

Birk was still a team leader and productive player when the Vikings let him go in free agency but the team was ready to move on to John Sullivan. It worked out well for Birk as he finished his career with a Super Bowl win with the Ravens.

Defensive Ends
Carl Eller
Chris Doleman

Two Hall of Famers that moved on to other teams. At least Doleman returned to the Vikings to end his career.

Defensive Tackles
Alan Page
John Randle

Page playing for the Bears was the most painful site in all of my years as a Vikings fan. Painful, painful, painful. Randle with the Seahawks wasn't much better.

Linebackers
Bobby Bell
Jesse Solomon
Ben Leber

Bobby Bell was part of the AFL-NFL bidding wars when he left the University of Minnesota in 1963. He was drafted the Kansas City Chiefs as well as the Vikings. He chose the Chiefs and went on to a tremendous Hall of Fame career. It's so easy to dream of what might have been. Imagine what the great Vikings defenses of the late 1960s and 1970s might have been like if Bell had been playing behind Jim Marshall, Alan Page, Gary Larsen, and Carl Eller. It felt like Solomon was hitting his stride as an NFL linebacker when he was swept into the infamous Herschel Walker trade. Leber was a solid, steady, productive player in the 2000s. Along with Chad Greenway and EJ Henderson, he was part of one of the best linebacker trios in franchise history.

Cornerbacks
DeWayne Washington
Corey Fuller

Washington was the first cornerback that the Vikings ever selected in the first round of the draft. That was in 1994. He played well for the Vikings but most people probably remember him as Steeler, Like Washington, Fuller played more years with other teams despite starting his career with the Vikings.

Safeties
Joey Browner
Brad Edwards

If injuries hadn't torpedoed Bowner's career he'd be in the Hall of Fame. He still had a brilliant career and is as loved by fans as nearly any player in Vikings franchise history. It was only about half of one year but it was difficult to see him in a Buccaneers uniform. I thought that Edwards was going to be the next Paul Krause. He wasn't and he was soon in Washington.

***

The Seahawks have been pursuing Vikings players since they entered the league. Carl Eller, John Randle, and Sidney Rice from this team ended up in Seattle. Bob Lurtsema, Nate Burleson, Percy Harvin, Heath Farwell, Tarvaris Jackson, and Blair Walsh have made the same trek west. Tampa Bay is another popular destination. 

Colege Teams That Could Dominate The 2019 NFL Draft

With the Minnesota Vikings next set of OTAs a couple days away I took a look at the CFB 24/7 section of NFL.com. There's always fun stuff there. Using NFL.com analyst Chad Reuter's player rankings for the coming season, CFB 24/7 writer Chase Goodbread listed seven colleges that could dominate the 2019 NFL Draft. The seven teams are hardly a surprise as they are annually among the best.

Goodbread awarded points to each player based on where they placed on Reuter's Top 150 list. Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver got 150 points as the #1 player. Western Illinois defensive tackle Khalen Saunders got one point as the #150 player.

Seven Teams That Could Dominate The 2019 NFL Draft

1) Alabama

Total points: 892 (8 players)
Reuter 150 players: 
» DE Raekwon Davis (No. 12)
» LB Mack Wilson (No. 19)
» RB Damien Harris (No. 22)
» QB Tua Tagovailoa (No. 26)
» OT Jonah Williams (No. 28)
» LB Anfernee Jennings (No. 35)
» QB Jalen Hurts (No. 84)
» DL Isaiah Buggs (No. 90)
What you need to know: Alabama placed half a dozen players in Reuter's top 50, more than any other school, although one of them -- Tagovailoa -- won't be draft eligible in 2019. Davis picked a fine time to establish himself as one of the Crimson Tide's top pro prospects with big back-to-back showings in the College Football Playoff. He posted a sack in Alabama's semifinal win over Clemson, one of his two tackles for loss in the game, and added another sack, as well as an interception, in the national title win over Georgia. Williams and Wilson are prime talents as well, with Williams embarking upon his third year as a starter in as many years in the program. Harris returns as a senior seeking a third consecutive 1,000-yard season.

2) Clemson

Total points: 847 (9 players)
Reuter 150 players: 
» DE Clelin Ferrell (No. 8)
» DT Christian Wilkins (No. 13)
» DT Dexter Lawrence (No. 16)
» CB Trayvon Mullen (No. 49)
» QB Kelly Bryant (No. 53)
» DE Austin Bryant (No. 57)
» OT Mitch Hyatt (No. 77)
» LB Kendall Joseph (No. 99)
» WR Hunter Renfrow (No. 140)
What you need to know: Not surprisingly, the Tigers' vaunted defensive line leads the charge here, with three of Reuter's top 16 players anchoring another nightmare for ACC offensive lines. Ferrell, Wilkins and Lawrence are talented, experienced disruptors who should set the tone for the entire program's 2018 success. Wilkins' decision to return to school made for the most surprising exclusion of this year's draft class. Bryant drew a No. 57 ranking from Reuter, rounding out Clemson's entire first-string DL on the list. On the offensive side of the ball, Bryant returns as one of the ACC's most prolific playmakers, and Hyatt enters his fourth year as a starter with a resume worthy of the Outland Trophy. The Tigers had more players in Reuter's top 150 (nine) than any other school.

3) Michigan

Total points: 719 (7 players)
Reuter 150 players: 
» DE Rashan Gary (No. 3)
» LB Devin Bush (No. 10)
» QB Shea Patterson (No. 25) 
» LB Chase Winovich (No. 47)
» RB Karan Higdon (No. 65)
» LB Khaleke Hudson (No. 76)
» CB Lavert Hill (No. 112)
What you need to know: The Wolverines had a down year in the 2018 draft (two selections, none in the first two rounds), but that doesn't mean the program's draft cauldron is empty. To the contrary, two of Reuter's top 10 players for the coming season reside in Michigan's front seven on defense: Gary and  Bush. Gary is a marvel of a physical specimen who was selected as one of NFL.com's most freakish athletes in college football last summer. Bush, a junior this fall, is on the small side (5-foot-11, 222 pounds), but was a Butkus Award finalist in his first year as a full-time starter last season. Patterson, only recently declared eligible for 2018 after transferring from Ole Miss, has an ability to extend plays like no quarterback Jim Harbaugh has had so far at UM. 

4) Ohio State

Total points: 570 (7 players)
Reuter 150 players: 
» DE Nick Bosa (No. 2)
» RB J.K. Dobbins (No. 39)
» QB Dwayne Haskins (No. 50)
» DT Dre'Mont Jones (No. 71)
» WR Parris Campbell (No. 82)
» RB Mike Weber (No. 106)
» OG Michael Jordan (No. 137)
What you need to know: Bosa played like he wanted to shed the label of "Joey Bosa's little brother" in 2017, and his 16 tackles for loss last season are enough for anyone to make a name for himself. He enters his third year in the program as one of the nation's most disruptive defenders and ranked No. 2 overall in Reuter's top 150. But like Clemson, there's more to Ohio State's defensive line than only one star, as Jones teams with Bosa to give OSU a dynamic duo up front. The Buckeyes' top prospects include plenty of offensive skill players, too, including new QB Haskins, a pair of running backs in Dobbins (not 2019 draft-eligible) and Weber, as well as a talented WR in Campbell.

5) Georgia

Total points: 426 (5 players)
Reuter 150 players: 
» QB Jake Fromm (No. 5)
» RB D'Andre Swift (No. 27)
» CB Deandre Baker (No. 86)
» WR Terry Godwin (No. 95)
» WR Riley Ridley (No. 116)
What you need to know: Fromm's ascension as one of the nation's top quarterbacks is emblematic of how quickly the quarterback landscape can change in college football. At the beginning of last season, Jacob Eason was considered the Bulldogs' star of the future at the position. By season's end, Fromm had UGA playing for a national title and Eason subsequently transferred to Washington. Those that watched Georgia closely last year know that despite the draft losses of Sony Michel and Nick Chubb, the running back position remains in good hands with Swift, who averaged a whopping 7.6 yards per carry last year on 81 rushes. As true sophomores, Swift and Fromm won't be draft eligible in 2019, so Georgia's next chance for draft dominance might be 2020. Fromm has a pair of quality receiving targets in Godwin and Ridley, the younger brother of Atlanta Falcons first-round pick Calvin Ridley.

6) Miami

Total points: 422 (7 players)
Reuter 150 players:
» LB Shaquille Quarterman (No. 23)
» S Jaquan Johnson (No. 31)
» WR Ahmmon Richards (No. 74)
» LB Michael Pinckney (No. 120)
» RB Travis Homer (No. 125)
» DE Joe Jackson (No. 128)
» CB Michael Jackson (No. 134)
What you need to know: The Hurricanes' defense returns a rock-solid performer at middle linebacker in Quarterman, who has started all 27 UM games since his true freshman season of 2016. At 6-foot-1, 240 pounds, he's stoutly built and plays with downhill authority against the run. Richards, one of college football's fastest players, hopes to put an injury-hampered season behind him. Injuries to RB Mark Walton, a fourth-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals, thrust Homer into a lead role for the Hurricanes last season, and he responded with 902 yards (averaged 6 yards per carry). 

7) Wisconsin

Total points: 406 (6 players)
Reuter 150 players: 
» RB Jonathan Taylor (No. 29)
» OT David Edwards (No. 43)
» LB T.J. Edwards (No. 67)
» OL Michael Deiter (No. 101)
» OG Beau Benzschawel (No. 115)
» S D'Cota Dixon (No. 145)
What you need to know: Leave it to Wisconsin, which produces star rushers with assembly-line consistency, to have a true freshman fall just 23 yards short of 2,000. Taylor ripped through the Big Ten last year with nearly as many 200-yard games (three) as games under 100 (four). Too young for the 2019 draft, he figures to be the Badgers' backfield bell cow for years to come. A big reason for Taylor's success comes from three offensive linemen that also merited ranking: Edwards, Benzschawel and the versatile Deiter, who has played tackle, guard and center in his career and could settle just about anywhere as a senior.

Where's Cal? Actually, I think that the Golden Bears will do much better than the two seventh round picks that they had in 2018.

For the record (Reuter's and Goodbread's record) Cal totaled 91 points with a single player. RS sophomore receiver Demetris Robertson. If he hadn't missed nearly all of the 2017 Robertson would be much higher on Rueter's list. With a healthy and complete 2018 season he should be a first round pick. That's if he chooses to leave Berkeley a year early. He's at least as talented as any receiver that's come out of Cal in recent years (Keenan Allen, DeSean Jackson, Marvin Jones). Cal has a small fleet of receivers, a couple of offensive linemen, and perhaps some defensive players that could be drafted next spring. That won's get them anywhere near the teams that should dominate the draft but they're improving.